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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301247">Hero Complex</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfstarlights/pseuds/wolfstarlights'>wolfstarlights</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Auror Harry Potter, Children, Drinking, Leaky Cauldron, M/M, Multi, Potions Master Draco Malfoy, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:36:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfstarlights/pseuds/wolfstarlights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco returns to London after five years and Harry can’t get his mind off him but somehow Draco seems to avoid him. Will that change after a certain autumn night at the Leaky Cauldron?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley/Blaise Zabini, Harry Potter &amp; Ginny Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hero Complex</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this piece for a writing contest, hosted by @hazplupin on Instagram. The prompt was “You didn’t change one bit, I wondered if you would be different after five years.”</p><p>TW: Binge drinking, (a little language)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was back. </p><p>After five years of some kind of potions work apprenticeship in France- according to Blaise Zabini, Harry wasn’t a stalker, thank you very much- Draco Malfoy once again blessed the Ministry’s corridors with his presence. And Harry Potter did not know how to handle that piece of information. </p><p>A week and a half later and their paths had crossed quite often at work already. But that was it. Malfoy was quite clearly ignoring Harry. Or he really didn’t notice the other man walking past him, but every day for almost two weeks was a bit much of a coincidence, wasn’t it? </p><p>Maybe Harry should have tried to start some kind of conversation rather than just waiting for Malfoy to look up at him in order to... what? </p><p>What was it that he wanted Malfoy’s attention so bad for? </p><p>To exchange awkward “friendly-coworker” smiles? </p><p>To have chitchatty smalltalk over a cuppa like proper grownups? </p><p>No, these options all didn’t sound very fitting for two former childhood enemies. Ignoring was probably the best option. </p><p>Well, that was what Harry told himself but it didn’t stop him from staring at the back of the blonde’s head, who was currently downing shots of clear liquid over at the bar, looking irritatingly dishevelled. </p><p>“How is Jimmy?”<br/>
His attention snapped back to the gorgeous redhead sitting across from him.</p><p>“Hm? Oh, James is doing fine. Teddy’s looking after him tonight. He misses you, though. Can’t wait for summer. Always asks, why you can’t go on that vacation right now.”<br/>
Harry smiled fondly as he vividly remembered his eldest son’s huge puppy eyes.<br/>
“Sometimes I think he likes you better than me.” </p><p>Ginny grinned.<br/>
“Of course he does! I’m the cool parent after all!”</p><p>They smiled for a few moments before a shadow fell over Harry’s expression, concern visible in his eyes.<br/>
“And Albus is fine, staying with Zabini?”</p><p>That question earned him a very deserved disapproving glare and he bit his tongue.</p><p>“Harry, we talked this through a million times already! He’s been my boyfriend for <em>16 months </em>now! You know that he’s great with children, especially with mine!”</p><p>“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I guess I sometimes just still can’t quite comprehend how much I misjudged him back in school.”</p><p>Ginny made an annoyed grunting noise and mumbled something about how he should “get over it already”. For a while their conversation went standby while the both of them just sipped their butterbeers in silence. And when Harry’s eyes found a certain man on a high chair at the bar again, it was not his fault. In fact, that sleek, almost white-silvery hair reflected so much light, it was a miracle not every single gaze in the Leaky Cauldron had been attracted by it already.</p><p>“Like what you see?”<br/>
Apparently his ex-wife had spotted the source of his current distraction. </p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>“Oh, come on! I saw the way you just looked at him! And I know you had a crush on him in third year.”</p><p>“What? I- I did not!”<br/>
Harry stammered and a blush sneaked itself onto his facial features traitorously. How did she even have that kind of information? Sure, the woman knew him inside out and was still practically family, but not even Harry himself had figured that bit out until he had finally embraced his bisexuality around the time his younger son had been born. </p><p>Ginny snorted inelegantly, making clear what she thought about his sad excuse.<br/>
“Remember how I was completely obsessed with you back then? Don’t even bother denying it.”</p><p>Lacking of a better reply Harry scowled and hid behind his glass while chancing another sideways glance at their current topic of conversation. Malfoy seemed positively drunk by now, a deep red highlighting his ridiculously prominent cheekbones and the top of his pointy nose. The surprisingly wavy hair that used to be worn neatly slicked back fell into his forehead deliberately and his lips were flushed a delicious pink from the alcohol and maybe some lip biting. Very kissable indeed. Then green eyes met grey ones and Harry realised he’d been staring- and Malfoy had caught him <em>in flagrante delicto</em>.</p><p>“Oh fuck!”</p><p>All pity Ginny had left for him was a cackle and “I hope you don’t use that kind of vocabulary around our children, honey.” </p><p>Harry barely heard her, though. His mind was too occupied with scolding himself. This was not how he had wanted their first confrontation to go. Now he would have to walk around the ministry in his invisibility cloak so he didn’t drown in shame every time he came across the other man. A loud noise of wood crashing onto stone drew the whole pub’s attention to Draco Malfoy, who was currently in the motion of throwing a black cloak over his own shoulders, which looked way less fancy than probably intended. His steps heavily affected by his drunken state he hastily staggered out of the room, straight into Muggle London.<br/>
The worry must have been apparent on Harry’s face because Ginny caught onto it instantly. </p><p>“Go after him, I know your hero complex wants you to. I’ll pay tonight.”</p><p>“Alright, thanks.”<br/>
He downed the rest of his butterbeer for good measure and a little extra courage and grabbed his own cloak in a hurry. Malfoy really shouldn’t apparate while being this drunk.</p><p>“And maybe you’ll even get a posh boyfriend out of it!”</p><p>Harry glared back at his ex-wife, who’s last words had been accompanied by a cheeky wink, before bolting out into the chilly autumn night. It was only raining a little- enough to make Harry shudder under the weird sensation of the misty droplets on his face but definitely not enough to cause someone as drunk as Malfoy to miraculously sober up. Speaking of which: the Slytherin was currently stumbling into a hidden alleyway to Harry’s right. Harry fell into a jog, catching up to the intoxicated man easily.</p><p>“Malfoy! Wait!”<br/>
What a great first thing to say to someone you haven’t seen in five years, well done Harry! </p><p>Malfoy spun around so fast that he needed to lean against the damp brick wall of the alley in order not to fall over.</p><p>“Ah, Scarface,” he slurred. “Sorry, <em>Auror Potter</em>, of course. We‘re well over that little feud of ours, aren’t we?“</p><p>“Yeah,“ Harry replied dumbly.</p><p>“What brings you out here on such a“- Malfoy scrunched his nose in obvious disgust- “wonderful night?” </p><p>Harry took in the picture of the man in front of him. The messed up hair, now damp from the rain, eyes glassy from shots over shots of firewhisky or something similar, cloak collar askew and the black fabric overall a bit rumpled. One of his feet sporting black leather shoes was perfectly placed in the centre of a puddle. Malfoy didn’t seem all that bothered by that, though. He just looked at him expectantly. Damn it, he’d been staring again! </p><p>“If you don’t have anything to say, you could just leave me alone again so I can apparate home. I’m tired, you know?”</p><p>“No! Yes, umm... I don’t think you should be apparating anywhere in that state, should you?”</p><p>To that, Malfoy sighed in an overly exasperated manner.<br/>
“I appreciate your concern, Auror Potter, but believe it or not, the person you see standing in front of you is a grown up, gay man. Now, I am not saying that all adults are capable of looking after themselves, but that saying a homosexual male isn’t, is very discriminative. Or discriminating? Anyways, we are not all damsels in distress!”</p><p>Okay, wow! </p><p>Wait, <em>what?!?!</em></p><p>Malfoy turned to leave again but Harry lurched forward and grabbed him by the arm.</p><p>“I- that- that’s not what I meant.” </p><p>Oh, come on! One sentence without a stutter, please! Calm your damn nerves, Potter!</p><p>“I’m just saying that drunk apparition is insanely dangerous! Chances are, you’ll end up severely splintered at the least” </p><p>There we go!</p><p>Draco’s glassy eyes were fixed on his, daring him to make a better suggestion. Somehow that intense gaze made Harry’s insides churn.</p><p>“Just- let me take you side-along?”</p><p>The grey eyes blinked at him twice, slowly.</p><p>“You know, you didn’t change one bit. I wondered if you would be different after five years, but you’re still living up to your name, trying to save everyone.”</p><p>Harry was unable to comprehend how Malfoy could be too plastered to walk properly, but still be able to form such long and complex sentences without a struggle. Then another thing struck his mind.</p><p>“You- you were thinking of me?”</p><p>Draco snorted, causing him to sway for a second.<br/>
“As if I could ever forget those eyes!”</p><p>That stunned Harry into silence. Draco had just come out to him and now admitted to be thinking about his <em>eyes?</em> Did that mean-?</p><p>“Should I tell you a secret?”</p><p>“I’m not sure sober Draco would appreciate that.”</p><p>What came back was an annoyed groan.</p><p>“Sober Draco is <em>boring</em>. I will tell you the secret anyways. But don’t you snitch on me to sober Draco!”<br/>
The man giggled at his own words, the sound ending up as an adorable little hiccup.<br/>
“<em>Snitch!</em> I doubt you would ever give a snitch to me, no matter if I’m drunk or not!”</p><p>Harry suppressed the amused smile that was fighting its way up to his lips and feigned an impatient huff instead.</p><p>“Let’s get you home.”</p><p>From then on, Draco didn’t put up a fight anymore. Without hesitation he shared his address and then tightly clung to Harry’s arm while he apparated them to Draco’s place. Upon landing on the doorstep of a surprisingly common apartment house, Draco threw up into the bushes on their left. Well, no surprise there. With a sigh Harry offered him stabilisation in form of a steadying arm on his waist and used his other hand to stroke up and down along his back, hoping for it to be a calming gesture. After a minute Draco turned around in his arms with a hazy smile on his lips. Grey orbs found green ones.</p><p>“These beautiful eyes.”</p><p>The whisper was so low, Harry was convinced he had only imagined it. Wishful thinking and all.</p><p>“Oh, I forgot to tell you my secret!”</p><p>Harry offered him a pitiful gaze.</p><p>“How about if sober Draco remembers this conversation, he can tell me the secret over dinner sometime. Or maybe coffee.”</p><p>“Did Harry Potter just ask me out on a date?”</p><p>“I think you should really go to bed now. I need to get home to my son.”</p><p>This stifled Draco’s carefree eagerness a bit.</p><p>“Yeah, of course. I’ll see you at work, Auror Potter.”</p><p>And with that he pulled out a key and turned to the door, signalling the conversation to be over. Somehow that left behind a bitter aftertaste on Harry’s tongue. He waited just long enough to see Malfoy unlocking the door successfully before apparating to his own place. The whole thing left his mind in a mess and <em>did he actually just ask Malfoy out?</em></p><p>Maybe he would come back onto that invisibility cloak plan after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading. If you liked it, please leave kudos and/or comments! They keep me motivated! </p><p>I’m pretty sure this is not my best work but it was my first time working with a deadline and a word limit, so I’m fairly proud of it anyways. </p><p>Love you xxx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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